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Five Blocks

By Ashley M., Spring, TX

Five blocks from where I lived
Is where I live now
Five blocks from the convict
who was arrested again and again
but always managed to get out of
heavy jail time
Five blocks from the woman
whose belly started swelling
so her husband kicked her out
Five blocks from the little girl
who used to run away from school
Five blocks to the nice painter lady
next door with her jasmine arbor
Five blocks to dogs who lick instead of bite
and never howl all night
Five blocks to a bigger house and nicer neighbors
So little distance
So far away

This piece has been published in Teen Ink’s monthly print magazine.

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This article has 40 comments. Post your own!

Lillixia said...
Apr. 16, 2011 at 3:25 pm:

it's saying that changes can be either big or small depends on how you look at it

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Xavier T. said...
Apr. 15, 2011 at 1:24 pm:

I understod what u were trying to say but i'm still confused.

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slichwala1 said...
Apr. 6, 2011 at 12:23 pm:

this poem makes me imagine a escaped convict and all the lies that go on in a neighborhood

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Avalon,Liv said...
Feb. 9, 2011 at 12:00 am:

really beautiful! seriously you gawtt talent!

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sethmeyerslover1234 said...
Jan. 23, 2011 at 10:26 am:

this is an amazing poem you have here! you have a gift use it and make it your life

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ThAtGuRl said...
Jan. 17, 2011 at 4:47 am:

i love it its beautiful

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cinnamon said...
Dec. 4, 2010 at 9:53 pm:

i did a summary,theme,terms i noticed,how these terms hepled me thing in my class to this poem..good work i loved it.=]

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KingReject said...
Sept. 7, 2010 at 10:31 am:

Loved it. It really emphasizes how much a "small" change, is actually quite a big deal. Five stars

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LuvKirstyn14 said...
Jul. 26, 2010 at 2:26 pm:

Greta job! i like the concept.. Plz read my pieces :)

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LovesForgotenChild said...
Jul. 26, 2010 at 2:21 am:

i used to live in a smaller neighborhood only its backwards cuz the ppl in my old neighborhood were nicer than the new ones i have

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mandielynnrose said...
Feb. 21, 2010 at 12:12 pm:

I once lived in a similar neighborhood, this are so different, yet so close by, it's wierd.

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PoetLaureate said...
Jan. 31, 2010 at 4:38 pm:

This is wonderful!!!! It's the truth and there aint no tellin how many lives are the exact same way described in this!!! I agree with RedMapleLeaf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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RedMapleLeaf said...
Jan. 31, 2010 at 1:14 am:

I'm not joking... if you stop writing, you just might make me cry. This has incredible flow to it, and I'm extremely impressed.

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StephanieQueen said...
Jan. 26, 2010 at 9:12 pm:

amazing; bravo^^you are very talented

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logii<3 said...
Dec. 6, 2009 at 10:16 pm:

this is my favorite, (:

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Paig3Cagl3 said...
Nov. 4, 2009 at 2:49 pm:

Great meaning and insight. I loved it.
Beautiful poem darling=]
-Please check out my poems that I have posted it would be greatly apreciated.

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aydenblack said...
Nov. 3, 2009 at 10:33 pm:

This is brilliant!
I love the concept, and your compostion. The way you don't describe plainly what is, but in a way that makes your mind wander, and complete the story:
"five blocks from the woman
whose belly started swelling
so her husband kicked her out."
Beautiful :]

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Stephos said...
Sept. 21, 2009 at 11:05 am:

Wow.
I mean, really, wow.
This is a great poem, and I can tell because I liked and understood it at first glance, but I had to read it again to really get meaning out of it. The fact that I was drawn to read it again is amazing.

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Ramna said...
Aug. 15, 2009 at 6:45 pm:

I surprised that no one commented on your work. This is a true work of art. Please consider reading my work and commenting on it.

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JacintaT said...
Aug. 15, 2009 at 5:11 am:

I like this. Needs maybe a tad more information put into it .

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